By Steven Mikulan, Today’s L.A. Times‘ Business section looks at the battle of a San Fernando Valley couple fighting a health-care giant over the death of their daughter. Nataline Sarkisyan was 17 when CIGNA rejected her family’s request for the medical insurer to cover a liver-transplant operation urged by her UCLA doctors. According to writer Lisa Girion, CIGNA dismissed […]

There’s only one more day before the first round of ObamaCare laws kick in. So it’s appropriate to finish clipping Wendell Potter’s new book Deadly Spin, which is the first health reform memoir. I finally read the entire tome and was surprised to see myself make a somewhat awkward appearance in the later chapters. More on […]

LOS ANGELES–The Armenian American Network (TAAN) is hosting a special event to benefit The Nataline Sarkisyan Foundation at La Vida Restaurant & Lounge in Hollywood on October 14, 2010 (6pm – 10pm). Expect a star-studded Red Carpet Event celebrating the launch of The Armenian American Network, raising funds and awareness for The Nataline Sarkisyan Foundation […]

By NUNE ALAVERDYAN nalaverd@uci.edu It all started with a sketchbook–a sketchbook filled with one young girl’s aspirations to become a fashion designer. From this sketchbook came the inspiration to hold an annual fashion show honoring its owner, Nataline Sarkisyan. After seventeen-year-old Nataline tragically lost her life to leukemia in December of 2007, her family sought […]

One girl’s unfulfilled dream fuels the spirit of giving and advocacy as hundreds of supporters join forces to organize Nataline’s Fashion Legacy, 4th annual fashion show to honor the memory of a beloved daughter, sister, niece and friend. Nataline Sarkisyan forever dreamed of making national headlines—as a fashion designer. She anticipated attending FIDM (Fashion Institute […]

Hilda Sarkisyan became a tireless advocate for change when she lost her daughter Nataline to cancer after their insurance company denied coverage for a potentially life-saving transplant. Wendell Potter was an executive at that insurance company when Nataline’s death became the final wake-up call that led him to leave the industry and become a champion […]

by Nune Alaverdyan nalaverd@gmail.com More than three years after the untimely death of her daughter due to insurance coverage denial, Hilda Sarkisyan presented the Ridenhour Book Prize to former CIGNA Insurance Group employee Wendell Potter. In 2007, Potter was Head of Corporate Communications at CIGNA, the company that denied Hilda’s daughter, Nataline Sarkisyan, the liver […]

Nurses Say Letting Uninsured Patients Die Is No Laughing Matter Following Abhorrent Audience Cheers at CNN-Tea Party Debate The nation’s largest representative of registered nurses today expressed revulsion at the cheering by some audience members in the CNN-Tea Party Republican debate Monday night at the prospect of letting a sick person die just because they […]

The Sarkisyan’s have a unique way of celebrating their daughter Nataline’s birthday. Even though Nataline unjustly lost her life to leukemia four years ago, her birthday continues to be celebrated annually, and not only by those who love her, but also by people just becoming acquainted with her and her story. Nataline’s Fashion Legacy keeps […]

Proud to announce The Nataline Sarkisyan Foundation is hosting a “Toy Drive” for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Locations on where you can drop off unwrapped toys to be announced first on the foundation’s Twitter account @Nsarkisyan